Château Potensac, Médoc, 2019

Produced by the winemaking tean from Léoville Lascases, this well-loved and firmly established Northern Médoc property is an old-fashioned classic, kept up to date by excellent wine making, vineyard management and the ability to be able to please all of its devoted fans. 

A classic blend of all four of the chief Bordeaux protagonists, this is generously treated to 14 months in barriques, 35% of which are new. The nose shows flavours of wild strawberry and raspberry compote with spice notes, leading to a palate that is perfectly balanced with fine-grained tannins, buckets of red and black fruit that provide the backbone to a long and layered finish. Delicious. 

Château Potensac is one of the leading non-Cru Classé properties in the Médoc. Its location is legendary as it is at the very far north of the Médoc peninsula, between the villages of Blaignan and Ordonnac. Potensac is a moderately large property with 50 hectares of vineyards comprising alluvial gravel and red clay. The vines (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc) have a high average age of around 35 years. Interestingly, it is a Cru Bourgeois property, yet does not wear this on its label. Is the no-show of this title possibly in an act of conceit, believing itself to be above its peers and belonging to a more elite group...? One wonders.

It's all hand made here: hand-picked grapes, careful fermentation in a combination of temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete tanks. 

94/5 Points, James Suckling

"Excellent Potensac with a creamy and tight tannin structure. Blueberries and blackberries with some salt and minerals at the end. Classic structure. One of the best ever."

Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, 92+ Points

"The 2019 Potensac is a blend of 47% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, harvested from the 21st of September to the 9th of October. The alcohol came in at 14.05% with a pH of 3.54 and an IPT of 74. It is aging in French oak barriques, 34% new. With a deep purple-black color, the nose hits the ground running with lively scents of black raspberries, warm cassis and redcurrant jelly plus suggestions of garrigue, tilled soil, unsmoked cigars and pencil shavings. The medium to full-bodied palate is positively invigorating, offering bags of crunchy black and red berry flavors and a racy line of freshness, framed by approachable, grainy tannins and finishing with a skip in its step. In a word: FUN!"

90 Points, Robert Parker

"Always a dependable bottling, the 2019 Potensac opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and nicely concentrated, with lively acids and powdery tannins, the vintage has made for an unusually polished Potensac that will offer a broad drinking window."

92 Points, Thomas Parker MW, Farr Vintners

Deep ruby colour. Cool and refined on the nose, with fresh blackcurrant, dark cherry and subtle, savoury spice from wood. The palate follows in this vein, straight and savoury with a chalky line of tannins providing the structure. This has the classic bones of Médocain Cabernet but it pairs this with the charm and exuberance of 2019 fruit. Waves of plums and cherries continue to build and are layered by a light smokiness. These work together in harmony to a compact and precise, but long finish. This is a claret for the purists.